Imaging of buried magnetic interfaces by magnetization-induced second harmonic generation microscopy

Summary form only given. In media without inversion symmetry, second harmonic generation is only allowed at interfaces, where the symmetry is broken. The nonlinear magnetization-induced second harmonic generation (MSHG, also called NOMOKE for NOnlinear Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect) derives its specific interface magnetization sensitivity from the magnetization (M) dependent second order /spl plusmn//spl chi//sup (2)/(/spl plusmn/M) tensor. It is therefore possible to obtain images of magnetic "domain" structures at interfaces of thin films, which is of great interest as a complement to global MSHG or bulk magnetization-sensitive MOKE measurements.